


Old Wounds And New Beginnings

by xLoveMx



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Spoilers for 128, Widojest - Freeform, in this house we stan marion lavorre, it's marion, someone talks to caleb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29929464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xLoveMx/pseuds/xLoveMx
Summary: In which they land on a random plane and Marion knows things, but also finds out that Caleb and her have more in common than meets the eye.
Relationships: Jester Lavorre & Caleb Widogast, Jester Lavorre & Marion Lavorre | Ruby of the Sea, Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast, Marion Lavorre | Ruby of the Sea & Caleb Widogast
Comments: 17
Kudos: 112





	Old Wounds And New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> I am manifesting this talk into existence!!!
> 
> Also, Happy International Women's Day, in this house we stan Marion Lavorre!

Neither of them had really managed to figure out where the spell had taken them, but no one really cared too much either, especially since there didn’t seem to be any immediate danger. If they hadn’t been completely tapped out, and if their families hadn’t been with them, they might have gone exploring for a bit, but with how things had gone down, Caleb instantly found Jester reaching for his arm seconds after they had landed.

“Caleb, can you do the dome?” She didn’t need to ask him twice, though he did find himself caught up in her eyes for a moment longer than he probably should have, before nodding.

“Of course.” It was their best bet as of right now, at least until they had gotten some sort of rest. Surely, it was risky to go back to their own plane either way, but if they could manage to rest for long enough in here without putting anyone in any kind of danger, then that was probably for the best.

Settling down on the ground, he tried his best to focus on the spell, pushing everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours as far into the back of his mind as possible. He had often considered his keen mind a blessing and a curse, but right now it really was more the latter, because it was hard to ban Trent’s voice from his head, and even Astrid’s face as she had let them go, was still crystal clear whenever he closed his eyes.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Caleb suddenly felt a hand on his arm, and when he opened his eyes, Jester had settled down next to him, offering a somewhat soft smile. He could see the worry in her eyes though, and he fought the urge to pull her into another hug like he had done the moment they had landed back in Nicodranas before.

“Caleb. It’s okay. You can do this.” It was like she knew that the way she said his name was a lifeline for him, a way to focus on the task at hand and to pull him from the destructive spiral of his own thoughts, and part of him wished he could have told her, but that was just going to cause more chaos and emotional turmoil neither of them could really use right now.

“Ja.” He nodded, letting his eyes linger on her for just a moment longer before he closed them again, focusing on the spell. Jester’s hand never left his arm, and it was like a focal point, giving him the chance to focus on his incantations rather than the voice in the back of his head, before he finally finished the spell and the dome popped up around them.

“Thank you.” He opened his eyes, glancing back at Jester once more, who gave his arm a squeeze and smiled, before she gathered the rest of their friends and family to usher them inside the dome.

Veth had curled up with her family, whispering something to Luc to keep him calm and occupied. He looked less scared and more excited really, but they couldn’t risk having him running off somewhere to explore, because there was no time for a rescue mission, they had made that clear when he had offered to give himself up just an hour ago. Of course Caleb knew as much, but at that moment it had seemed like the only reasonable idea to get his friends and their families out of harm’s way.

“Everyone should get some rest. I’ll take the first watch.” He could already see the attempt at protesting in the way the expression on Jester’s face changed, so he lifted a hand, shaking his head. “I can’t sleep now anyway just...too many thoughts. Get some rest and I’ll wake you when it’s time, okay?”

“Fine.” They were all exhausted, and the fact that she wasn’t arguing any longer, spoke to it, but then again maybe she knew him well enough to know that he wasn’t going to budge, because as much as he would have tried, he wouldn’t have been able to fall asleep before he’d sorted out some of his thoughts.

“I’ll help keep watch.” Marion spoke up, offering both of them a smile, “I am still...under the calming effect of this spell, I think, so while I am still feeling this calm, I would like to be of help.”

Caleb nodded, offering a somewhat smile to her, only being distracted when Jester suddenly curled up next to him, her head resting in his lap. “I’m sorry, Caleb. That you had to face him like that.” It wasn’t her fault, and yet she was apologizing, and it made his chest tighten.

“It’s okay...” His voice was as quiet as hers as he spoke, “Just get some rest, ja?” His hand came up to rest on her head for a moment, fingers running through her hair in an attempt to comfort her somehow. There wasn’t much else he could do, but it seemed to relax her at least a little bit, because Caleb watched as she snuggled closer, her breathing evening out eventually.

He had put them all in danger, he was well aware of that, and it was going to follow him for the rest of his life, which was the best-case scenario, because if something happened to either of his friends, or worse, their families, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

It wasn’t until Marion picked up the blanket and laid it over her daughter, that Caleb somewhat came back to himself, looking around for a moment. Everyone else seemed to be dead asleep, Luc safely tucked underneath a blanket between Yeza and Veth, with Caduceus next to them, snoring lightly.

“You are in love with my daughter, yeah?” Her words jolted his attention back to her instantly, but instead of the expected frown or disdain, Caleb only found a soft smile on Marion’s lips as she looked back at him. “Don’t give me that look. I might not have been very...lucky when it comes to love, but I know what it looks like.”

Glancing down, Caleb found that his hand had still been stroking Jester and he immediately stopped, feeling like he had been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to. It wasn’t unusual for them to be a little touchy feely, but usually it was Jester who initiated it, and usually her mother wasn’t around to watch.

“I’m sorry.” It was an automatic response, and it took all his willpower not to shrink back into himself like he was so used to doing. “She doesn’t...I don’t...she doesn’t need to know that. She has enough on her plate as it is, and besides: She’s happy with Fjord.”

“Is she?” Marion cocked her head to the side for a moment, watching him. “I’m not saying that she’s not...Jester has...a way of keeping things from me, from everyone, especially when she’s not happy. I know that is partly my fault,” She shook her head, her lips curving into a somewhat sad smile, “She thinks she needs to protect me and...I am glad that I raised her to be a strong woman, even though I am not quite ready for her to grow up. Well...I haven’t been for a long time, but I am glad that she has found a group of capable friends that can protect her, and that she can help protect in turn, but...” reaching out to rest a hand on Jester, Marion shook her head again, “Don’t you think she deserves to know? I know that it can be...terrifying, opening yourself up to someone, especially if you’ve been heard before.”

Caleb forced himself to look back up at her, fighting the urge to just get up and leave. He couldn’t, of course, he was the only person who couldn’t leave the dome without endangering everybody else, but Marion didn’t know that. “I don’t...I can’t...huh.” He took a deep breath, glancing back down to where Jester was still fast asleep. “I’m not...a very good person, and she deserves someone who’s a good person.”

“Maybe, but maybe we shouldn’t be making assumptions about what she deserves, or what she wants. Fjord, you know, he seems like a good man, and if he is what Jester wants then she’s going to make that clear. I have to say that she hasn’t told me about the change in their relationship, but then again maybe there wasn’t enough time. She did tell me about a lovely island you guys visited though.”

“Rumblecusp.” Caleb almost automatically replied. “It was...a nice place, I’d show you if I could.” There was a pause before he spoke again, “Maybe we could bring you guys there. There’s a village there with people who know us. They could protect you, you know...if you don’t want to go and stay with the Gentleman.”

Caleb was aware that it was probably one of the rare safe places they knew, but he also knew that Marion hadn’t really been given much time to prepare or think about the whole thing.

“Ah...I was...nervous about the thought of seeing him again.” Marion admitted with a sigh, “It’s been...so long, and ever since Jester found him well...he could have reached out, but then I tell myself that I could have reached out too, and I haven’t.”

“I mean...he does run an underground crime organization, but he cares about Jester quite a lot. I can only imagine what it must feel like to be able to see him again after such a long time but...isn’t it better to get closure?” There was a pause where he glanced at Marion, who was offering him the same smile she had earlier. “Ah...you tricked me.” He couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head ever so slightly.

“I am not called the Ruby of the Sea, skilled artisan and conversationalist, for nothing,” She replied with a chuckle herself, before continuing, “All I am saying is: Maybe let Jester make her own choices. She is wickedly smart, my little Sapphire, but she doesn’t know much about love, which I think is also partly my fault. If you don’t give her a chance to see the possibilities though, then she won’t get the chance to make her own choices.”

Deep down, Caleb knew that she was right, and part of him wasn’t even sure why he kept putting the whole thing off. He had seen the way Jester had looked at him after Rumblecusp, and it had sent him into a panic, because as much as she cared about him, he wasn’t a good person, and he didn’t deserve her, so he had done everything in his power to stay away.

Once again it was Marion who pulled him from his thoughts, her hand resting on top of his. “You are a good man, Caleb. If you weren’t then my daughter wouldn’t trust you the way she does, so I trust you, too. Maybe it is time for the both of us to get some closure or...maybe a new beginning?” She squeezed his hand and then pulled back, glancing down at where Jester was still fast asleep. “We both owe it to her to at least give it a try, don’t you think?”

“Ja,” His voice was quiet, and he forced himself to take a deep breath, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now...how about you get some sleep? You look like you have been awake for days, and if you are as powerful as Jester tells me that you are, then we’re going to need you on top of your game. I will keep watch and wake the next person when it’s time.” She offered him another smile, but the look she gave him simultaneously told him that there was no need to even try and resist her, so Caleb simply nodded and then shifted, taking off his scarf and curling it into a ball before gently moving Jester and resting her head onto it. He had barely managed to lay down when he felt her move and curled into him though, his heart missing a beat.

He could hear the faint sound of Marion humming a song under her breath and caught her smile as she reached for another blanket to place it across the both of them as Jester snuggled closer, burying her face into his chest. He only briefly hesitated before he wrapped her up in his arms then, finding his whole body relaxing for what felt like the first time in a day.

“There you go,” Marion’s voice was quiet, but Caleb could still see the faint smile on her face before he felt himself drifting off to sleep.


End file.
